2. a
Additional Protocol to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects (Protocol IV, entitled Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons)

Vienna, 13 October 1995

Entry into force

:

30 July 1998, in accordance with article 2 of the Additional Protocol.

At its 8 plenary meeting on 13 October 1995, the Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects adopted pursuant to article 8.3 (b) of the Convention an additional Protocol entitled "Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons (Protocol IV)".

(Unless otherwise indicated, the declarations andreservations were made upon concent to be bound or succession.)

Australia

Australia

Declaration: "It is the understanding of the Government of Australia that the provisions of Protocol IV shall apply in all circumstances."

Austria

Austria

Declaration: [Same declaration, mutatis mutandis , as the one made by Ireland.]

Belgium

Belgium

Declaration: It is the understanding of the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium that the provisions of Protocol IV which by their contents or nature may also be applied in peacetime, shall be observed at all times.

Declaration: [Same declaration, mutatis mutandis , as the one made by Ireland.]

Germany

Germany

Declaration: [Same declaration, mutatis mutandis , as the one made by Ireland.]

Greece

Greece

Declaration: [Same declaration, mutatis mutandis , as the one made by Ireland.]

Ireland

Ireland

Declaration in relation to article 1: "It is the understanding of Ireland that the provisions of the Additional Protocol which by their contents or nature may also be applied in peacetime, shall be observed at all times."

Israel

Israel

Declaration: “With reference to the scope of application defined in Article 1 of the Convention, the Government of the State of Israel will apply the provisions of the Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons as well as the Convention and those annexed Protocols to which Israel has agreed to become bound, to all armed conflicts involving regular armed forces of States referred to in article 2 common to the Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949, as well as to all armed conflicts referred to in Article 3 common to the Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949.”

Italy

Italy

Declaration: [Same declaration, mutatis mutandis , as the one made by Ireland.]

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein

Declaration: [Same declaration, mutatis mutandis , as the one made by Ireland.]

Netherlands

Netherlands

Declaration:

With regard to Article 1: “The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands takes the view that the provisions of Protocol IV which, given their content or nature, can also be applied in peacetime must be observed in all circumstances.”

Poland

Poland

Declaration: The Republic of Poland believes that the provisions of the Additional Protocol should also be applied during peacetime.

South Africa

South Africa

Declaration: [Same declaration, mutatis mutandis , as the one made by Ireland.]

Sweden

Sweden

Declarations: "--Sweden intends to apply the Protocol to all types of armed conflict; - -Sweden intends to pursue an international agreement by which the provisions of the Protocol shall be applicable to all types of armed conflict; -- Sweden has since long strived for explicit prohibition of the use of blinding laser which would risk causing permanent blindness to soldiers. Such an effect, in Sweden's view is contrary to the principle of international law prohibiting means and methods of warfare which cause unnecessary suffering."

Switzerland

Switzerland

Declaration: [Same declaration, mutatis mutandis , as the one made by Australia.]

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Declaration: ''In relation to Protocol IV, the Government of the United Kingdom declare that their application of its provisions will not be limited to the situations set out in Article 1 of the [1980] Convention."

United States of America

United States of America

Understanding: “It is the understanding of the United States of America with respect to Article 2 that any decision by any military commander, military personnel, or any other person responsible for planning, authorizing or executing military action shall only be judged on the basis of that person’s assessment of the information reasonably available to the person at the time the person planned, authorized or executed the action under review, and shall not be judged on the basis of information that comes to light after the action under review was taken.”

Subsequently, on 28 April 2014, the Government of The Netherlands informed the Secretary-General of the Territorial Application in respect of the Caribbean part of The Netherlands (Islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba).

In keeping with the depositary practice followed in similar cases, the Secretary-General proposed to receive the declaration for deposit in the absence of any objection on the part of the Contracting States, either to the deposit itself or to the procedure envisaged, within a period of 90 days from the date of its circulation (i.e. 21 July 1998). None of the Contracting Parties to the Protocol having notified the Secretary-General of an objection within the 90 days period, the declaration was deemed to have been accepted for deposit upon the expiration of the 90 day period in question, i.e. on 19 october 1998.